Reporters update if Angels could trade Shohei Ohtani

It sounds like the Los Angeles Angels aren't actively shopping two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline but also haven't closed the door on selling him by early next week. 

"Front-office sources throughout the industry said things were quiet on the trade front over the weekend, and many of them have a hard time believing Angels owner Arte Moreno will trade Ohtani in the first place -- especially since the team has found a way to remain in contention without Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon," ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported on Monday. "But the Angels have not publicly declared that Ohtani will stay, so teams throughout the sport are preparing for the possibility that he can be had." 

Trout hasn't played since he suffered a broken bone in his left hand on July 3. According to an ESPN update shared Friday night, he is still on track to miss a total of six to eight weeks. 

Rendon, meanwhile, has been out since he went down with a deep bone bruise in his shin on July 4 that likely will keep him sidelined for at least several more weeks of action. 

On Monday afternoon, insider Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted that "the Angels have communicated about Shohei Ohtani trade scenarios with other teams in recent days." Morosi added that "the possibility of an Ohtani trade remains." 

The banged-up Angels (51-49) are 6-3 since the All-Star break and began Monday just four games back in the battle for a wild-card playoff spot. Ohtani, meanwhile, is set to reach free agency after this season and continues to be linked with big-spending clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. 

While it's unknown if Moreno will match Ohtani's asking price (or if Ohtani is interested in remaining in Anaheim) after the World Series, Bob Nightengale of USA Today explained over the weekend that "the Angels don't intend to trade Ohtani," in part because they earn "about $20M annually, excluding ticket sales," thanks to having baseball's most marketable star.

Whatever is and/or isn't happening behind the scenes, the clock is ticking for Moreno to make a final decision regarding Ohtani's status that will unquestionably impact the Angels for years to come.